The Sweater
by crazysockmonkeys
Summary: What happened after "Our Parents, Ourselves" when Niles said he was going to the movies. Another short one-shot.


As Niles walked into the movie theater, he raced to the ticket counter and said to the attendant. "One for _Wuthering Heights, _please." Daphne had said that she was going to a theater downtown, and Niles had to make a guess as to where they might be showing this movie. Turns out, he had guessed correctly.

He handed the ticket agent his money and she in turn slipped him his ticket and told him where to go. Niles decided to take one more precaution, seeing as though Daphne might have changed her mind about coming. "Ma'am, has a tall, attractive woman with a charming British accent and warm, dark eyes bought a ticket from you?"

The ticket agent stared at him and nodded her head.

"Thank you," he said, and he went where he was told to go, looking for Daphne all the way. When he entered the theater, he was glad to see that the movie hadn't started yet. He saw Daphne almost right away, sitting towards the back with a drink in the cup holder and a popcorn bucket in her lap. She didn't see him until he started walking up the aisle, and when their eyes met she smiled brightly. "Hello, Daphne," said Niles. "May I join you?"

"Of course," she said. "But I thought you were watching the Super Bowl."

"The truth is, Daphne, football really isn't my cup of tea."

"Ugh, mine either. I just don't understand it, I suppose. If you don't mind my asking, why did you go to the party, then?"

_Because I knew you'd be there,_ he thought.

"Frasier insisted I come," he lied.

"Well, that was awful nice of you to do, Dr. Crane. Would you care for some popcorn?"

"I...I..." It wasn't that Niles didn't like popcorn, but he didn't want to get butter or grease on his sweater, neither did he want to take it off because it was a protective barrier between him and the chair cushion that he knew was filthy. "I'd love some," he said, deciding to risk getting his sleeve dirty. Soon, the previews started, and Niles tried not to stare at Daphne. It proved quite difficult, considering every now and then their hands brushed against each other when they reached for popcorn, and every time that happened a warm fuzzy feeling went up his spine.

Soon, the movie began, and Niles was intrigued. He had never seen this movie before, and it was interesting, so interesting that he almost didn't notice when the first tear ran down Daphne's cheek. When he did notice it, he began to feel sad as well. She soon began to cry wholeheartedly, and she buried her face into his shoulder and his soft sweater. Niles put his hand on the back of her head and softly began to stroke it, completely forgetting about the movie for a moment. Slowly, he began to twirl her short hair around his fingers, knowing that for some women it was a soothing mechanism for someone to play with their hair, but for him it was an indulgence, something he was able to barely get away with. It was so soft, and as he leaned over and smelled it he began to think wild thoughts that he knew he shouldn't have been having at a time like this.

Slowly, he stopped spinning her hair and softly lifted her chin with that same hand. He wiped away her tears with one smooth and clean motion, then held her like that while they stared into each other's eyes, suddenly untouched by the world.

Daphne smiled and reached for his hand, squeezing it tightly, then releasing it. She turned back to the movie and Niles did the same, even though the movie that had seemed so interesting ten minutes ago now seemed boring, dull, bland. He couldn't focus, he couldn't concentrate. His mind kept running over what had just happened and his eyes kept glancing over at the breathtaking woman sitting next to him whom he loved...so much.

When the movie ended, Daphne stood up and stretched, and Niles watched with pleasure. "Thank you for coming, Dr. Crane. If you hadn't been there for me, I'm not sure what I would have done. Gone into hysterics, maybe! You're such a good friend. I'm so lucky to have you."

"And I you, Daphne," he said. They smiled at each other and walked out of the movie theater together as Daphne talked about the movie and her favorite parts, and why she found it so romantic. As Niles escorted her to her car, she smiled and told him that she loved his sweater and the way it felt on her skin, and that it must keep him very warm. When they arrived at her car, she wrapped him in a warm hug and thanked him once more. As Niles watched her drive away, it was almost as if love pounded through his entire body...just for her.

* * *

**The End**


End file.
